A Neighborhood Watch program for the Wantagh-Seaford area is inching closer to reality.
The (WSHA) held its second meeting discussing the formation of the crime prevention concept Wednesday night in the Administration/Communication Center.
Nassau County Problem Oriented Policing (POP) Officer Kurt Faraczek, who will serve as a liaison for the new Wantagh-Seaford Neighborhood Watch, gave his ideas at the meeting for getting the program in place. Faraczek said there not yet been a Neighborhood Watch formed in the Seventh Precinct, which in addition to covering most of Wantagh and Seaford also encompasses Merrick, Bellmore and Massapequa. Faraczek suggested forming block captains that will cover certain geographic areas.
“You have to be the eyes and ears,” said Faraczek, who has touched base with leaders in the Third Precinct to get ideas on how a Neighborhood Watch program is run in Williston Park.
Other area communities that have Neighborhood Watch programs in place include Levittown, East Meadow, Long Beach, Baldwin and Oceanside. Faraczek stressed that those involved with the Neighborhood Watch should not get close to potential criminal suspects but should instead know the correct authorities to alert. Faraczek said block captains can also contact him about potential crime patterns in certain neighborhoods.
Town of Hempstead Traffic Control Director Gary Sauer also attended Wednesday night’s meeting and explained how Neighborhood Watch signs can be placed on certain streets. He said the signs can serve as a deterrent for potential criminals since it shows that neighbors on that block are engaged in stopping crime.
The WSHA first began for a neighborhood watch during the winter after a spike in quality of life crimes that hit the Wantagh and Seaford communities in late 2011. WSHA President Ella Stevens said she hopes in addition to helping to prevent crime the program will also promote the concept of “neighbors helping neighbors.”
Stevens said the next step toward making the Wantagh-Seaford Neigborhood Watch a reality will be forming an executive board.
Anyone interested in participating in the Wantagh-Seaford Neighborhood program is urged to e-mail info@wsha.li or visit the WSHA’ s Neighborhood Watch Facebook page.
Do you think a Neighborood Watch program for Wantagh and Seaford is a good idea? Tell us in the comments.
